Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review 2024, 60(5): 459-479 | DOI: 10.13060/csr.2023.038

Asexual, Who? Construction of the Identity of Asexuals in the Czech Society

Nela Andresová
Fakulta sociálních věd, Univerzita Karlova, Praha

This article deals with the construction of the identity of asexuals in Czech society. The author focuses on coming out and feelings of stigmatisation, relationships and intimacy, the the perceived existence of a separate asexual community, and the visibility of asexuals in society. In this research, a qualitative study was carried out among among people who identify as asexuals. The aim of the analysis was to determine how asexual people construct their social identity. People often do not know the meaning of the term ‘asexuality’ and this can result in the social stigmatisation of asexuals. In some respects, asexual people are similar to other sexual minorities, but not all of them feel they are a part of the LGBT+ community. The study’s participants shared the view that Czech asexual people are invisible in Czech society. They form networks through the internet forum asexual.cz, but they do not form a separate community or a social movement and they still remain socially invisible. Approaching asexuality as a separate category of sexual identity is key for them to understand how they differ from others and for them to communicate with other people. They also regard education on asexuality as a way of promoting the public understanding and de-stigmatisation of asexuality in Czech society.

Keywords: asexuality, sexual identity, sexual minority, stigmatization

Received: September 19, 2021; Revised: June 11, 2023; Accepted: June 15, 2023; Prepublished online: June 16, 2023; Published: November 11, 2024  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Andresová, N. (2024). Asexual, Who? Construction of the Identity of Asexuals in the Czech Society. Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review, 60(5), 459-479. doi: 10.13060/csr.2023.038
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. AVEN. (n.d.). About AVEN. The Asexual Visibility and Education Network. Navštíveno 11. 4. 2018 na https://www.asexuality.org/?q=about.html
    2. Asexual.cz: Informační a diskusní portál o asexualitě. (n.d.). Navštíveno 29. 11. 2018 na https://www.asexual.cz/forum/index.php
    3. Bauman, Z. (2002). Úvahy o postmoderní době (2. vyd.). Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON).
    4. Bauman, Z. (2004). Individualizovaná společnost. Mladá fronta.
    5. Bogaert, A. F. (2012). Understanding Asexuality. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Go to original source...
    6. Bogaert, A. F. (2015). Asexuality: What It Is and Why It Matters. The Journal of Sex Research, 52(4), 362-379. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2015.1015713 Go to original source...
    7. Clarke, V. a Braun, V. (2013). Teaching Thematic Analysis: Overcoming Challenges and Developing Strategies for Effective Learning. The Psychologist, 26(2), 120-123.
    8. Decker, J. S. (2014). The Invisible Orientation: An Introduction to Asexuality. Carrel Books, an imprint of Skyhorse Pub.
    9. Drucker, D. J. (2012). Marking Sexuality From 0-6: The Kinsey Scale in Online Culture. Sexuality and Culture, 16(3), 241-262, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-011-9122-1 Go to original source...
    10. Fafejta, M. (2016). Sexualita a sexuální identita: Sociální povaha přirozenosti. Portál.
    11. Goffman, E. (2003). Stigma: Poznámky k problému zvládání narušené identity. Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON).
    12. Gottschalk, S. (2020). Accelerators, Amplifiers, and Conductors: A Model of Tertiary Deviance in Online White Supremacist Networks. Deviant Behavior, 41(7), 841-855. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2020.1734746Hanckel, B. a Morris, A. Finding community and contesting heteronormativity: queer young people's engagement in an Australian online community. Journal of Youth Studies, 17(7), 872-886. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2013.878792 Go to original source...
    13. Havelková, H. a Oates-Indruchová, L. (eds.). (2015). Vyvlastněný hlas: Proměny genderové kultury české společnosti 1948-1989. Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON).
    14. Jenkins, R. (2008). Social Identity. Taylor & Francis.
    15. Katz, J. N. (2013). Vynález heterosexuality. Gender, rovné příležitosti, výzkum, 14(2), 4-13.
    16. Kim, E. (2011). Asexuality in Disability Narratives. Sexualities, 14(4), 479-493. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363460711406463 Go to original source...
    17. Kinsey, A. C., Martin, C. E. a Pomeroy, W. R. (1948). Sexual Behavior in the Human Male. W.B. Saunders. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005053-194903000-00016 Go to original source...
    18. Meho, L. I. (2006). E-mail Interviewing in Qualitative Research: A Methodological Discussion. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 57(10), 1284-1295. https://doi.org/doi:10.1002/asi.20416 Go to original source...
    19. Miovský, M. (2006). Kvalitativní přístup a metody v psychologickém výzkumu. Grada.
    20. Plummer, K. (2003). Intimate Citizenship: Private Decisions and Public Dialogues. University of Washington Press.
    21. Pryzbylo, E. (2019). Asexual Erotics: Intimate Readings of Compulsory Sexuality. The Ohio State University Press Columbus. Go to original source...
    22. Ryan, G. W. a Bernard, H. (2003). Techniques to Identify Themes. Field Methods, 15(1), 85-109. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1525822X02239569 Go to original source...
    23. Sedláček, L. (2009). Asexualita v kontextu genderových stereotypů a očekávání. In D. Topinka, P. Zahrádka, M. Foret, M. Fafejta a J. Hrabal (eds.), Kultura média komunikace / Speciál: VYPRÁVĚNÍ - IDENTITA - DIFERENCE, Vybraná témata kulturálních studií (s. 107-120). Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci.
    24. Sherlock. (n.d.). Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze. https://www.csfd.cz/film/281729-sherlock/prehled/
    25. Sloboda, Z. (2010). Specifics of the Contemporary Czech Homosexual Community: History, Evolution and Ambivalences. In G. Clarke, F. McQueen, M. Pnacekova a S. Sahli (eds.), Examining Aspects of Sexuality and the Self (s. 1-19). https://doi.org/10.1163/9781848880207_002 Go to original source...
    26. Tiefer, L. (1995). Sex Is Not a Natural Act and Other Essays. Westview Press.
    27. Yoshino, K. (2000). The Epistemic Contract of Bisexual Erasure. Stanford Law Review, 51(353), 356-461. https://doi.org/10.2307/1229482 Go to original source...
    28. Yule, M. A., Brotto, L. A. a Gorzalka, B. B. (2015). A Validated Measure of No Sexual Attraction: The Asexuality Identification Scale. Psychological Assessment, 27(1), 148-160. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038196 Go to original source...
    29. Zvěřina, J. a Malina, J. (2002). Panoráma biologické a sociokulturní antropologie: Modulové učební texty pro studenty antropologie a "příbuzných" oborů: Sexuologie pro antropology. Nadace Universitas Masarykiana.
    30. Zvěřina, J. a Malina, J. (2002). Panoráma biologické a sociokulturní antropologie: Modulové učební texty pro studenty antropologie a "příbuzných" oborů: Sexuologie pro antropology. Nadace Universitas Masarykiana.

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content